Container apparatus and method of using same

Abstract

A container apparatus can include a container and an insert assembly. The insert assembly can include four elongate members. The four elongate members can include light emitting devices for illuminating the interior of the container and/or temperature altering elements for cooling and/or heating the interior of the container. The container can have a rectangular base and a rectangular sidewall extending upwardly from the base. The sidewall can define four corners of the container, and four elongate recesses can be formed in the sidewall proximate the four corners of the sidewall to receive the elongate light members. The recesses can be sized and shaped to conform to the elongate insert members so that the insert members can be releasably retained within the elongate recesses.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A container apparatus comprising an enclosure and a light assembly, the enclosure comprising a base and a sidewall extending upwardly from the base, the base and the sidewall defining an interior area of the enclosure, the sidewall comprising an inner wall section and an outer wall section wherein the outer wall section extends above the inner wall section to form a substantially concave recess in the sidewall, the light assembly positioned within the substantially concave recess formed in the sidewall and adapted to illuminate at least a portion of the interior area of the enclosure. 
     
     
       2. The container apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a lid pivotally connected to the sidewall. 
     
     
       3. The container apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the substantially concave recess defines a rest platform at a top edge of the sidewall. 
     
     
       4. The container apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the base is substantially rectangular, and the sidewall is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
       5. The container apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the substantially concave recess defines a substantially rectangular rest platform at a top edge of the sidewall. 
     
     
       6. The container apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the light assembly comprises a substantially rectangular frame positioned in the substantially rectangular rest platform at the top edge of the sidewall. 
     
     
       7. The container apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the light assembly comprises at least one light emitting device selected from the group consisting of a light emitting diode, an incandescent light bulb, and an illuminated fiber optic cable. 
     
     
       8. The container apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a thermally insulated cooler. 
     
     
       9. A container apparatus comprising a thermally insulated cooler comprising:
 (a) an enclosure comprising a base for positioning substantially horizontally on a floor surface and a sidewall extending substantially vertically from the base, the base and the sidewall defining an interior area of the enclosure; 
 (b) a first concave channel formed in an interior surface of the sidewall and a complementary second concave channel formed in the interior surface of the sidewall at a position opposed to the first channel, the first concave channel and the second concave channel extending substantially vertically from proximate a top of the sidewall to proximate a bottom of the sidewall; and 
 (c) a light assembly comprising a substantially flat member received in the first concave channel and the second concave channel and adapted for sliding movement therein, whereby the light assembly provides a barrier dividing the interior area of the enclosure into a first interior area and a second interior area. 
 
     
     
       10. The container apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a lid pivotally connected to the sidewall. 
     
     
       11. The container apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the base is substantially rectangular and the sidewall is substantially rectangular, the sidewall comprising first and second opposed sides and third and fourth opposed sides, wherein the first concave channel is formed in the first side and the second concave channel is formed in the second side. 
     
     
       12. The container apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the light assembly comprises at least one light emitting device selected from the group consisting of a light emitting diode, an incandescent light bulb, and an illuminated fiber optic cable. 
     
     
       13. A container apparatus comprising an enclosure and an insert assembly, the enclosure defining an interior area and having a substantially concave recess formed in an interior surface of the enclosure, the substantially concave recess sized and shaped to receive and frictionally engage the insert assembly, the insert assembly comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a light emitting device adapted to illuminate at least a portion of the interior area, a temperature altering element adapted to alter a temperature within the interior area, an audio speaker adapted for emitting sound, and a container adapted for storing items. 
     
     
       14. The container apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the enclosure comprises:
 (a) a body section comprising a substantially rectangular base and a substantially rectangular sidewall extending upwardly from the base; 
 (b) a lid section pivotally connected to the sidewall of the body section; and 
 (c) wherein the substantially concave recess comprises a substantially concave cavity recessed within an interior surface of the body section or the lid section. 
 
     
     
       15. The container apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the enclosure comprises a thermally insulated cooler and the insert assembly comprises a temperature altering element selected from the group consisting of a cooling element adapted to lower the temperature in the interior area of the enclosure and a heating element adapted to raise the temperature in the interior area of the enclosure. 
     
     
       16. The container apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the enclosure comprises a thermally insulated cooler and the insert assembly comprises a temperature altering element comprising a refrigerant gel comprising propylene glycol. 
     
     
       17. The container apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the enclosure comprises a body comprising a substantially rectangular base and a substantially rectangular sidewall extending upwardly from the base defining four corners of the body, and wherein the substantially concave recess comprises four substantially concave recesses and each of said substantially concave recesses is formed at one of said four corners of the body, and further wherein the insert assembly comprises four elongate members, each of said four elongate members positioned within one of said four substantially concave recesses. 
     
     
       18. The container apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the insert assembly comprises a light assembly comprising at least one light emitting device selected from the group consisting of a light emitting diode, an incandescent light bulb, and an illuminated fiber optic cable. 
     
     
       19. The container apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the substantially concave recess comprises a first concave channel formed in an interior surface of the sidewall and a complementary second concave channel formed in the interior surface of the sidewall at a position opposed to the first channel, the first concave channel and the second concave channel extending substantially vertically from proximate a top of the sidewall to proximate a bottom of the sidewall, and further wherein the insert assembly comprises a substantially flat member received in the first concave channel and the second concave channel, whereby the insert assembly provides a barrier dividing the interior area of the enclosure into a first interior area and a second interior area. 
     
     
       20. The container apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the base is substantially rectangular and the sidewall is substantially rectangular, the sidewall comprising first and second opposed sides and third and fourth opposed sides, wherein the first concave channel is formed in the first side and the second concave channel is formed in the second side.